84 Pounds Lighter: First Coast Man's Journey to Fitter Body

By Angela Williams
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- 46-year-old Tim Taylor is making national headlines in USA Today [USA Today: Weight Loss Challenge].
Rewind to 18 months ago and this headline could have been an obituary.
"In that minute everything just rushes through your mind and I said I lost my life over some cheeseburgers? It's just not worth it," says Taylor.
A trip to the E.R. and scare in the ambulance was all Tim needed. The day before, he ate a dozen hot wings with Tabasco sauce and a large sweet tea.
Doctors say the combination of caffeine and Tabasco sauce caused an erratic heart beat.
"On the way to the hospital I flat lined, completely lost my heart beat. The EMT looked at me and said, 'Hold on it will come back,' as he reached for the paddles and flipped the switch," says Taylor.
Doctors say Tim had a temporary heart arrhythmia. Although it wasn't a heart attack, it was just the wake up call Tim needed. Now, instead of reaching for junk food, he reaches out for a better life.
"I started losing about a half a pound at first and then slowly up to a pound," says Taylor.
Through boxing, weight training, and healthier food choices Tim says he's lost 84 pounds. His journey has taken him from 267 pounds down to 183 pounds.
"Once I started believing that I can do it, I did it, and I believe anybody can do it," says Taylor.
Tim is in the process of writing a book about his life-changing experience and also leads a Weight Watcher's group once a week.
His book Fat As My Dad will be released this spring.
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